Hi everyone, I just joined the forum and need some tips.

Yesterday I went to the dog pound and adopted a Shih-Tzu.
He was taking from a home that had 64 dogs, mainly Shih-Tuz's
If he wan't adopted by Jan 26th, he would have been put to sleep and I didn't want that to happen.

We brought him home and had to give him 3 baths because he was sooo dirty.
Had to cut most of his fir away since it was nothing but matted.
He has not made a sound since I got him and unless we are holding him, he runs and hides behind a chair. When let outside to do his business, he runs to the corner of the back yard and hides and shakes.

Just wondering if any of you have some advice so we can let this sweetie know he is important.

Lots of love and patience, try not to overwhelm with to much at once though. I'd recommend spending time sitting on the floor and letting him come to you when possiable. Make sure to have lots of treats on hand and when he approaches you on his own give him a little nibble. He dosent need big bites, just tiny bites of whatever you use.
As for taking him outside, the best thing I can say is just to give him time to get used to things.
It's going to take time and patience, but he should start to warm up to you and become used to his new home.
Congrats on your new furbaby.

Thank you Jakesmom, I wll remember that. The main thng that worries me is when we let him out back to go potty and he goes to the corner of the back yard and hides there and I always find him shivering.

We decided to name him, Toby.

[wishbone]

Great you was there to save him, congratulations. I feel how lucky and happy he is!

Is there any way you can confine him to a smaller area in the backyard untill he gets used to things? The size of the yard and just being free in it may be overwhelming for him at the moment.

Yesterday we found a broken board on the fence that I wasn't aware of and he got through it. Thank God my neighbors fence didn't have any loose boards too. I called him and he came back to our side. I fixed the loose board right away. He is slowly starting to open up and moving around in the house more freely, not just hiding behine the chair.

I seen on craigslist.com that his sister who was adopted also by someone else, jumped out of the owners hands and ran down the street and they can not find her now. That is one thing I worry about with Toby but so far, he stays in the back part of the house and near the back door which lead to the fenced yard.

Congrats!

Right now you are wanting to provide lots of touch and affection but the dog is terrified. You will want to take things slowly.

No touch. No talk. No eye contact.

No Touch: don't force touch on the dog. Let him/her come to you. As was suggested, sit on the floor. Now that you are on the floor, ignore the dog. Don't talk to it. Don't touch it. Don't look at it. When it comes up to smell you, quietly reward with a treat.

No talk: ignore. Your words can actually reinforce the fear and instability of the dog's emotional state. As it begins to relax, then you can talk to it.

No eye contact: eye contact is intimidating and threatening.

When the dog does come to you, pet it under the chin or on the body, not on the top of the head--that is intimidating and threatening to the dog.

When you take it outside, have it on leash. I know the yard is fenced but the dog is afraid of so much space. When you walk around the yard, ignore it's fearful behaviors. Watch for a brave behavior--approaching to smell something for example--and praise that behavior.

You want to praise and encourage stable, non-fearful state of mind/behavior and ignore the unstable, fearful state of mind.

Oh, and since you had to cut its coat. My brother had a shih-tzu once that would get very embarassed when it's coat had to be cut excessively. She would literally hide her head in his arm. You might want to get your dog a pretty sweater or hair bobs or something to dress her up a bit. It might help her self-esteem until the coat grows out...then again, it might not....

Shih Tzu's are wonderful little dogs - so cuddly and sweet. When Toby (love that name) does come to you just put him on your lap and gently pet him and speak softly to him. And when you walk him make sure he does not get startled by another dog - it's okay if Toby walks up to another dog but if he's hiding behind you when he sees another dog make sure that other dog does not get close to him. Let Toby get use to going out and that it is actually fun to play with others =)
I have a male shih tzu (he will be two on 4/7) named Mochi and even now he occassionally get startled by little things like a wind-blown newspaper! and he still does not like the dog park much (strange since he loves saying hello to other dogs when we are out walking - one of his friend is a very gentle 125 lb. American bulldog! and Mochi is almost 10 lbs.)

Thank you! Taking Toby for walk is going to take some working on. He gets frightened when I put the leash on him. He will just stand still and don't want to move.

He has been walking around a lot more today, instead of hiding behind the chair. Now if anyone knocks on the door or my other dog barks, he will run and hide behind the chair or scratch at the back door wanting outside to go hide in the back yard. He is such a cutie.

Oh, I took him into the Vet today for a check up and his shot and the Vet told me, his teeth are back more them most dogs and he may have trouble eating. I noticed he will not eat dry food. It looks like it is too hard for him to chew so I just add water to it to make it soft. He will only eat at night after we all are in bed unless I give him canned food.

Giving you Toby soft food is good...
In that way he can eat better...
About his attitude of hiding when there is people or other dog around...
I guess he need more socialization...
Expose him to people and other dogs...
So that he can used to it....